


If I had the Chance

by Hogwartswonderland



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Hero Worship, I'm Bad At Tagging, Interviews, Post-Avengers (2012)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-27
Updated: 2017-09-26
Packaged: 2019-01-05 22:50:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12198972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hogwartswonderland/pseuds/Hogwartswonderland
Summary: All Beth wanted to do was thank him for saving her life. Who would have thought she would ever have the chance?





	1. The Battle

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this directly after the Avengers movie came out in 2012, so some of you may not remember the extra scene where the waitress was interviewed. This fic was inspired by this scene, as I felt like there needed to be a spotlight on an extra's POV of the Battle of New York. Please enjoy!

When Beth Hanson woke up on the Tuesday morning in her small studio apartment, she thought her day was going to be completely normal.

She thought that she would get up, go to her creative writing class at NYU at eight, leave class at ten o'clock and go straight to work at a Hal's Diner in Midtown, New York. And she did. But it wasn't until the middle of her shift that things started turning for the worst.

"Hi, my name is Beth and I will be your server today. Can I start you off with a drink?" Beth asked a group of women in office entire most likely on break.

"Yes. I would like a-" the woman in a smart looking blue business suit started to order before stopping, looking up as if she had seen a ghost.

Beth and every other person outside the café followed her gaze. What they saw was the catalyst for the wide spread panic and fear that caused people to freak out. What they saw could be described as other worldly. There was a massive portal in the cloudy blue sky that showed a contrast of a black starry abyss. But that wasn't the most terrifying part. It was the massive mechanic, worm like space craft that was most likely carrying more of the vile looking creatures with dirty grey shell-like skin, slanted eyes that looked to be on the side of their faces and a horse type mouth with a set of jagged teeth. They were riding on hovercrafts and into our world.

The sight of them alone made Beth freeze in fear. She couldn't move from her spot because she was numb with fear. Beth only snapped out of her trance when she realized that a large swarm of the creatures where coming her way.

"Everyone needs to get inside!" she yelled in hopes of preventing the customers and anyone else from being harmed. They all followed her advice immediately. But unfortunately for some of the people as well as herself, they couldn't reach the safety of the diner. A sudden blast of blue energy erupted from one of the aliens knocked Beth right off her feet. Everyone else was in full panic mode and was running amuck in terror. Beth was struggling to get back onto her feet when another blue blast was released in her direction. She didn't have the time to react. She just closed her blue eyes and awaited her impending doom. But it never came. Instead a tall, muscular man sporting a blue, red and white costume jumped in front of her and shielded them both with a patriotic colored shield with a white star in the middle. He then proceeded to throw the shield at the creatures as if it was a boomerang. It knocked them out and then returned to its handsome owner. The mysterious man turned around to look at her in concern with baby blue eyes.

"Are you alright Miss?" asked Beth's savior.

Beth nodded her head, too shocked at the recent events to speak. The man guided her up into standing position and led her to the door of the restaurant.

"Please take cover in here Miss," he said before running off into the midst of the battle.

Beth scrambled into the diner as she was told. Her boss, Hank, and a friend and fellow waitress, Nina, expressed their relief of Beth being safe then proceeded to ask question of what happened. Beth couldn't even tell them because she was still wrapping her mind around the events. What had just happened? That man came out of nowhere… and he sounded very familiar. Whoever he was, Beth would be forever grateful for him saving her life. Beth wandered over to the window to look at what was happening, and if she was being truthful, hoping to catch a glimpse of the man clad in patriotic colors. She couldn't find him. Beth sighed. 'If I ever see him again," Beth promises herself, "I will tell him thank you."

* * *

 

It was only a couple of hours after the war and there were mass amounts of news crews, people looking for lost friends and family, and cleanup crews were milling around the ruins of New York city like ants on an ant hill. The television crews were interviewing various survivors on there take of what happened. One news crew somehow found out from Beth’s friend that she was saved by the man called Captain America and was currently interviewing her. Beth, who was still shaken up from the events was still dressed in her mustard yellow, old style diner dress and had a blanket wrapped around her figure. The news anchor asked Beth of her opinion of the group now called the 'Avengers'.

"They are heroes. Captain America saved my life and wherever he is, I just want to have the chance to say, thank you."


	2. Post-Battle

It has only been a short week since the Battle of New York City and things couldn't be more different for Beth Hanson. She has spent the all her free time the past week looking up anything on Captain America. He has taken over her mind and consumes her every thought. She would revisit the sight of him looming over her as he faced those creatures now known as Chitauri, while she was at class or bussing tables at the diner. It wasn't the fact that he is handsome or a superhero. But there was no denying that he is both. No. The entire reason that she was researching him so vigorously was to hopefully find him and thank him. Beth wasn't sure if he heard her message on the news but she could only hope that he did.

"Are you alright Beth?" her friend Nina asked with concern weaved into her words.

Beth smiled at her friend to reassure her. Once again, she was deep in thought of the ever-elusive Captain America as she cleaned tables after her shift at the diner. Nina and their boss Hank tended to notice when she lost sense of the real world around her. It could be attributed to the fact that Hank believed that she has some very 'emotional trauma' from her almost-but-not-quite near-death experience. Nina thought it to be that she was thinking about the 'overly handsome man that she would mind getting into bed with' that had rescued Julia. In a way, both of them were right. Beth continued her task of cleaning the tables in hopes of getting done in time to reaching a gathering that was taking place in central park to honor the Avengers. Many- including Beth- were hoping that the avengers would make an appearance. Beth rolls her eyes at the thought. She knows well enough by now that most of them- save Iron Man- will stay low and out of sight of the media and public. Beth looks at her watch. 7:30. It takes 20 minutes to get to central park from where she is and the ceremony starts at 8. She gathers up the few remaining dishes on the table and puts them in the dishwasher then grabs her belongings. On her way, out she bids Hank and Nina goodbye. When she steps outside the door it is humid and makes her long blonde hair stick to the back of her neck. The only source of coolness is a light breeze that tickles her bare arms. She takes a glance around to the city in front of her. The city has changed in many ways since the attack. Most of the rubble has been cleared away but skeletons of buildings remain. The diner was fortunate enough to only have minimal damage to the outside eating area. Another thing to thank Captain America for.

Beth sighs. She can't look at the diner without thinking about him. With one last fleeting glance, Julia begins to walk away to Central Park.

Beth manages to reach the park just in time for the ceremony to start. She scans the vast crowd in hopes of seeing the Captain, but sees no sign of him. She was right before. None of the Avengers were there. Not even Iron man. Feeling a tap on her shoulder, Beth spins around to meet a woman selling candles for the event. She ignores her crestfallen feelings and pays for a candle. While she came in hopes of thanking her hero, her momma raised her to be respectful, and it was only polite that she remembers those who had lost their lives; not everyone was as lucky as Beth was.

* * *

 

Days pass into weeks, and weeks pass into a month. It is now June 6th, and it is the one month anniversary of the Battle of New York. People have been celebrating this landmark last couple of days. At this point, Beth can't help but feel annoyed. She still thinks of the elusive captain from time to time, but she as reached the point where she would like to forget the day ever happened. As of late, she has begun to have nightmares of the terrifying creatures that attacked the city. She has gotten little sleep and it has made her irritable. Even some regulars at the diner have noticed it. The irritability comes and goes at different parts of the day. The only times she is pleasant is during the morning for the breakfast shift. Beth has always been a morning person but there is something about seeing the light reflecting upon the window, hearing the birds chirp and smelling the aroma of coffee in the morning. This particular time of day reminds Beth just how lucky she is to be alive.

"Good mornin' Bethie," Nina grumbles to the blonde-haired girl, trudging into the dinner with her electric blue hair in a messy bun, her hands shoved into her sweatshirt pockets, and a scowl on her face.

Beth smiles softly at the sight of her sluggish friend. Nina was never a morning person.

"Good Morning Nina. There is a cup of coffee on the counter for you. Two sugars, just the way you like it."

"Thank the gods. You're a lifesaver."

Beth shrugs and smiles sheepishly.

"By the way, we already have a customer. He is outside. Can you take care of him while I wake up?"

"Sure Nina." Beth gets up from her spot on the counter, reties her apron, and grabs her notepad and pencil then proceeds outside. She spots as man with a blue buttoned-up shirt, a worn leather bomber jacket and blonde slicked back hair reading the morning paper. She smiles. The man, Steve, is a regular customer and Beth always serves him. She hasn't seen him in about a month and she has missed her conversations with him on classic pieces of literature. They really knew nothing about each other besides their first names and their passion for the classics.

"Good morning Steve. How have you been?" Beth asks.

Steve puts down the paper and looks at the blonde waitress. The moments their eyes meet, Beth gasps. Steve and Captain America have the same gorgeous, baby blue eyes. She couldn't believe that she hadn't seen it sooner. She knew that there was something was familiar about the Captain when he saved her, but Beth never thought that she had already met him.

"I'm," Steve pauses. "I have been alright,” he finally manages to answer, unsure of how to proceed with the young waitress he saved during the battle. Steve decides to interact with her as normal on the off chance that Beth doesn’t recognize him. “How have you been Beth?"

She smiles at him, trying to keep her cool. "I have been better. I am afraid I haven't had the chance to read To Kill a Mockingbird."

He rewards her with a smile of his own. The balloon of fear that swelled up in his chest burst when she didn’t out him as Captain America. "Well I hope you read it soon. It is an interesting novel. Can I have a black coffee and a blueberry muffin?"

"Of course. I will be right back," Beth says then rushes inside.

"Black coffee and blueberry muffin," the blonde calls out to Nina.

"Is it Steve again? He is the only person I have met that drinks that nasty stuff."

"Everyone has their preferences Nina."

"Yeah, yeah," Nina says sliding Beth the order from the other side of the counter. Beth collects it, places it on her tray, and heads outside to deliver Steve his breakfast.

"Here you go Steve. Enjoy," she says placing his order in front of him.

"Thanks Beth."

Beth walks back inside and sits on the counter in the back, keeping an eye on her customer through the window while taking the chance to collect her thoughts. She can't believe that sweet and polite Steve, the one who she talks about books to, is her savior. She hadn't known him for long but it seems like he wouldn't hurt a fly. Yet, on the other hand, Beth can see many physical features that out the man as the masked superhero from the 40s. She accepts the fact that her favorite customer is who he is, and finally comes to the conclusion that she can do what she had been wishing since last month. Thank him. Properly.

"Beth, Steve wants his check."

An idea pops in her head. " Alright. Thanks Nina!"

Beth grabs the leather check book, scribbles something down on the receipt, takes it out to Steve and walks away. She then busies herself with some incoming customers and kitchen duties, finally content to have done what she set out to do.

* * *

 

Outside on the patio, Steve looks at his receipt and is surprised at what he sees. He thought he was safe from Beth realizing his secret identity, but it turns out that he is wrong.

_It's on the House, Captain._

_Thank you._

_-Beth_

He smiles at the message. It is moments like these, when he sees the difference he can make in people's lives, that makes him happy to be a part of this future. And for that reason, he is not going to give up on getting back out into the world. After all, he needs to learn more about it he is ever to avenge it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment detailing what you thought!


End file.
